Louisiana Conservationist

ZjJU^CLAM

WELL PUBLICIZED MUSK-
RAT DUE FOR MORE

PUBLICITY
Louisiana's famous and
well publicized muskrat is
due for some more national
publicity this year. Last
year the Louisiana muskrat
was featured in magazines
and leading newspapers from
coast to coast and thousands
of inches of space was de-
voted to this well known
animal, and to its fine quali-
ties as a food.

The Education and Public-
ity Division has just an-
nounced that an article fea-
turing the Louisiana musk-
rat will appear in an early
issue of the Family Circle
Magazine, published in New
York. Information for this
article as well as pictures
were supplied by the Conser-
vation Department. Other na-
tional publicity on the musk-
rat is expected this winter.

A typical scene in trapper's villages as the muskrat trapping season
gets under way. In the above picture, trappers are seen checking and
counting their catch.

Louisiana's Valuable Muskrat
Season Gets Under Way

Louisiana's multi-million dollar
muskrat trapping season officially
got under way Sunday, December
5th, and will continue through
February 28th. There are many
indications for a favorable season,
according to Armand P. Daspit,
director of the Fur and Refuge
Division of the Department of
Conservation.

i Last year's take of muskrats
totaled 4,076,785, and the total
value to the trappers for musk-

rats alone was $4,810,606.30. In-
cluding minks, raccoons and other
fur bearing animals, the total
value to the trappers of the 1942-
43 season was $5,738,168.

Last year, for the first time, the
carcass of the muskrat was sold
in large quantities as a food, and
several hundred thousand musk-
rat carcasses were sold in Louisi-
ana and throughout the nation. It
is understood that several parties
(Continued to Page 6, Column 1)

Development
Committee Makes
Recommendations

A recommendation that the
larger and stronger northern
muskrat be imported into Loui-
siana for investigation as to the
possible crossing and improvement
of the southern muskrat, was made
by the Fisheries and Wildlife
Committee of the Economic De-
velopment Committee of Louisi-
ana, at a recent meeting held in
New Orleans. This Committee,
composed of representative busi-
ness and professional men was
appointed some time ago by Gov-
ernor Jones to plan a program for
post-war Louisiana.

The Committee also recom-
mended that assistance be furn-
ished land owners in planting
more muskrat food or three cor-
nered grass, in order that the
breeding area of the state may be
enlarged.
(Continued to Page 6, Column 1)

McHugh Honored
By Oil Compact
Commission

Louisiana's Conservation Com-
missioner Joseph L. McHugh was
elected a member of the exec-
utive board of the Interstate
Compact Commission at its winter
meeting held December 10th and
11th in Wichita, Kansas, and
Louisiana was selected as the
place for the Spring meeting of
the Commission.

Governor Schoeppel of Kansas
was elected chairman, and J. C.
Hunter of Texas was named vice-
chairman. Others elected were
Chester L. Orr, Oklahoma, sec-
retary; Hiram Dow, New Mexico,
member of executive board, and
S. F. Peterson, Illinois, second
vice-chairman.

The Spring meeting of the Com-
mission will be held in New Or-
leans next March, Mr. McHugh
announced upon his return from
Kansas. Dates for the meeting
will probably be set in January
when the executive board meets.
Post-war allocation of world
oil reserves will probably feature
the discussion at the Spring meet-
ing of the Interstate Oil Compact
Commission, which is composed of
representatives of oil regulatory
bodies from all petroleum states.

Efforts to save
Singer Preserve
Continues

Conservation Commissioner Mc-
Hugh conferred in Chicago re-
cently with officials of the Chicago
Mill and Lumber Company with
reference to the Singer preserve
in Madison Parish, which is known
as the last refuge of the ivory-
billed wood-pecker.

The Commissioner stated that
he discussed with the company

officials a proposal to purchase
some of the acreage in the pre-

( Continued to Page 6, Column 4)

LOUISIANA CONSERVATIONIST

SAM H. JONES
Governor of Louisiana

JOSEPH L. McHUGH

Conservation Commissioner

LOUISIANA CONSERVATIONIST

Published Monthly in the interest of conservation by the

Louisiana Department of Conservation

126 Civil Courts Building, New Orleans, La.

Isaac D. Chapman
Editor

Permission for publication of all material in this issue is granted on condition that we receive marked copies and that credit be given
for any illustrations reproduced. Contributions and photographs will be welcomed. Each should be accompanied by stamped return enve-
lope. Proper credit will be given on all material accepted.

Volume 2

DECEMBER, 1943

Number 1

This issue of the Conservationist marks the first anniversary of
this publication. One year ago this month, our first issue appeared,
and this month, we begin a new volume number. Judging by the
expressions that have come to us from sportsmen and conservationists
from all parts of Louisiana, I am of the opinion that this publication
is serving a useful purpose, and I am happy to know that it has been
so well received. We have come a long way in conservation education
in Louisiana, but there remains much to be done. With the continued
cooperation and support of the sportsmen and conservationists of
Louisiana, we will continue to go forward.

I have had the opportunity during recent weeks to visit some of
the many hunting clubs in Louisiana, and I have been amazed at the
tremendous increase in the duck population in our state. Particularly
is this true of mallards and pintails and there are quite a number of
canvasbacks. I believe the increase is greater than it has been in the
past fifteen years.

Among the fine hunting clubs I have visited are the Grand
Chenier club; the Lake Arthur Club, the Streeter club south of Lowry
and the Crane Club at Creole. From my observation nearly all hunters
experienced very little difficulty in getting the bag limit.

This speaks well for the fine work done on the Canadian breeding
grounds by Ducks Unlimited, and that is another reason why sports-
men in Louisiana should lend their aid and support to this splendid
organization. Louisiana has a great interest in Ducks Unlimited
because the work it has done and is doing means so much to the
sportsmen of this state. This non-profit organziation deserves the
active support of all duck hunters and of all sportsmen and conser-
vationists in our state.

Louisiana's muskrat season is well under way, and from all
indications, the prospects for this year are very good. The muskrat
is Louisiana's most valuable fur animal and the average annual catch
is between four and six million each year, which represents about 50
per cent of the entire muskrat catch of North America.

As this issue is the last one for 1943, I desire to take this oppor-
tunity to extend Season Greetings to all conservationists, to thank
you for your cooperation to the Conservation Department, and to
express the wish which is uppermost in all our minds and hearts, that
the year 1944 will bring the downfall of the enemies of democracy,
and that the end of a victorious war will bring to this world a just
and lasting peace.

CADDO WILDLIFE
GROUP HOLDS MEET

A resolution urging the estab-
lishment of fish ladders at the
Caddo lake and Black bayou dams
was adopted by the Caddo Wild
Life federation at a meeting held
in Shreveport last month. The
federation also favored fish lad-
ders at other lakes in this area.

Another resolution urging the
state conservation department to
remove water hyacinths from
Lake Bistineau was adopted. The
water plant has already covered
a large area in the Clark bayou
and Hay Meadows section of the
lake and is moving downstream
towards the dam, it was declared.

Turner Morgan and Wellborn
Jack, members of the legislature
attended the meeting and spoke
briefly, offering their support to
the conservation plans. Other
speakers included Sheriff J. How-
ell Flournoy, Tax Assessor A. G.
Hammett, Arthur G. Birdwell, H.
C. Bryant and J. L. Worsham,
members of the police jury.

Private F. E. Shaepe of Barks-
dale Field, whose home is at Lin-
coln, Neb., gave an interesting
talk on pheasant stocking. He
said there are many areas in Loui-
siana adapted to raising of these
birds.

Twenty-four new members were
added to the club roster, accord-
ing to Dr. A. T. Johnson, presi-
dent, who announced that the next
meeting would be held on Jan. 11.

McHUGH ADDRESSES
MONROE ROTARY CLUB

Conservation Commissioner
Joseph L. McHugh was the fea-
tured speaker at the weekly
luncheon meeting of the Monroe
Rotary Club Thursday, Decem-
ber 2nd. Mr. McHugh delivered
an address on the importance of
conservation in the war effort.

DIRECTORY OF DIVISION

HEADS AND OFFICIALS

OF CONSERVATION

DEPARTMENT

Jos. L. McHugh, Commissioner

Chas. E. Morefield

Acting Executive Assistant

Hale Boggs, Attorney

Daniel O. Payne,

Acting Secretary

H. M. Grode, Chief Accountant

J. N. Gowanloch,

Chief Biologist

Isaac D. Chapman,

Education and Publicity

J. G. Appel, Enforcement

Armand P. Daspit,

Fur and Refuge

Massey H. Anderson, Forestry

Dr. J. Huner,

Geological Survey

H. W. Bell, Minerals

J. N. McConnell,

Oysters and Waterbottoms

Wm. F. Chisholm,

Research and Statistics

James Brown,
Wildlife and Fisheries

REFUGE AREAS USED
FOR WAR PURPOSES

More than 4,645,000 acres oil
land on 33 national wildlife re-
fuges in 18 states and Alaska are
being used by the Army and Navy
Departments for such varied pur-'
poses as bombing ranges, gunnery
ranges, air bases, tank maneuver-
ing areas, docking facilities and
for recreational activities of tha
men in the training camps, accord-:
ing to a statement made by JJ
Clark Salyer II, chief, Division of
Wildlife Refuges, Fish and Wild-
life Service, United States Depart-
ment of the Interior.

These lands, however, are pri-
marily submarginal areas in the
South and Widwest and parts ofi
large areas in the West used I
jointly for wildlife and livestock.
No highly developed wildlife areas
were released and little or no
harm has resulted from military
activities, Mr. Salyer declared.

LOUISIANA CONSERVATIONIST

300D EATING FROM WOODS AND FIELDS

How often have hunters in your
mily discarded their game after
■inging it home? How many
mes has the housewife refused
cook game after it reached the
tchen? Do you believe that
ildlife meat is not fit to eat? Is
is due to what you have heard
■ to a past experience?
Early explorers of this country
red almost exclusively on meat
)tained from wild animals. Fur
id game animals provided these
ioneers with both food and cloth-
g. The coming of agriculture
id production of domestic ani-
mals resulted in a change in our
mcept of hunting. Man began
i hunt for sport rather than meat
Ir the table, and this is still the
^se today. While a portion of
>e many thousands of wild game
iken annually by Louisiana hunt-
:s and trappers is consumed,
svertheless, the fact remains
lat a large quantity never
jaches the table. Today meat is
!war commodity, and all sources
E this food are needed and should
a fully utilized.
Animals living in the wild are
jr the most part vegetarian —
lants, seeds, fruits, and berries
orming the bulk of their food.
hey do not live in crowded con-
itions, and their habits are sur-
risingly sanitary. People eating
iame for the first time usually
ry to compare it with beef, pork,
jr other domestic meats, but it
hould be remembered that game
as a distinctive flavor which for
he most part is not comparable
?ith the meat of any other group
if animals.

I One reason for the waste of
heat taken by hunters is the fact
hat sufficient care is not taken
fter game is shot so that it can
\e presented to the housewife in
In edible and attractive condition,
i The necessity for dressing game
immediately after shooting de-
lends, of course, on the weather,
jlunters agree that game birds
may be carried through the day
ithout cleaning. If the temper-
,bure is warm and birds are to be
ept more than one day without
ce or refrigeration, they should
e drawn as soon as possible, but
he feathers should be left on
ntil the hunter reaches home,
fter the bird is drawn, the body
avity should be wiped dry using
lean leaves or grass if a cloth is
tot available — do not use water.
It is advisable for hunters or
trappers to clean out the abdomi-
nal cavity of mammals the same
day they are killed. Extra cau-
tion should be taken in dressing

not be allowed to eat the viscera
of these animals, because some
diseases and parasites are spread
in this manner. Splintered bones,
pieces of feathers or fur, and shot
should be carefully removed from
shot wounds in order to present
game to the cook in a suitable
condition. Many hunters carry a
clean paper or cloth sack in their
hunting coat in which they put
game to keep it clean.

Most hunters skin game birds
instead of plucking feathers, as
it is easier and means less work
for the cook. However, many
game cooks state that some of the
taste of the meat is lost by re-
moving the skin.

The question sometimes arises
as to the necessity for bleeding
animals after shooting. Usually
after an animal has been shot,
sufficient bleeding occurs so that
additional bleeding is unnecessary.
However, if the animal were killed
in such a manner that little or no
bleeding occurred, it would be
wise to facilitate bleeding.

The meat from such animals
should be put in a cold place and
soaked in salt water (1 tablespoon
of salt to 1 quart of water) eight
to ten hours before cooking. It
is generally recognized by ex-
perienced cooks that freshly killed
game should be allowed to age
in a cool place at least 24 hours
between the time the game is
killed and it is prepared for eat-
ing.

Game animals lead an active
and vigorous life. Their muscles
are likely to be tougher, dryer,
and less palatable than those of
farm animals. Game frequently
forage over large areas for food
and they must be alert, tense,
and ready at all times to escape
from many enemies. Hence, game
meats usually require more at-
tention when cooking than those
of domestic animals which are
confined, fed fattening foods, and
protected from hazards. As with
domestic meats, young animals
will be tender and require little
cooking while additional care must
be given those older and tougher.
Another difficulty the cook often
encounters when cooking small
game is that she may have old
and young animals, tender and
tough ones, to prepare at the same
time. Young animals require less
cooking than old ones, and the
housewife might better overcook
the young animals in order to
have the tougher ones edible.

From now on it's up to the
cook. Before selecting the recipe

the cook knew whether the ani-
mal is a young or an old one.
Broiling or frying an old animal
may prove disappointing both in
tenderness and taste. Allowing
mature carcasses to "age" for sev-
eral days and then parboiling will
improve their edibility.

The following recipes are ones
which the inexperienced game
cook may be able to use with a
reasonable degree of success.

Wild duck meat is dark and
dryer than domestic duck. To re-
tain or add moisture, it may be
roasted with strips of bacon on
the breast. Cooking in a covered
roaster also aids in reducing dry-
ness. Duck is usually served rare.

Barbecued Duck

4 servings

2 large duck
breasts

4 teaspoons le-
mon juice

1 teaspoon woi
cestershire
sauce

1 teaspoon to-
mato catsup

1 tablespoon
butter
V2 teaspoon
paprika

though they may be found on any
part of the body. Such growths
cause no damage to rabbits and
hunters need not feel concerned
about eating rabbits afflicted with
this condition.

Rabbit

Delight

1 young rabbit

2 green peppers,

1 teaspoon fat

chopped

1 cup broth

y.y cup mush-

2/4 cup lemon

rooms,

juice — pinch

chopped

of ginger

1 tablespoon

% cup orange

parsley,

juice

chopped

Joint the rabbit

and brown pieces

fat.

Add broth and c

ther ingredients.

Cover and cook

slowly until tender.

Roast wild goose has been a
delicacy for many generations. In-
dividually the goose is the largest
of our legal waterfowl. Very
little of this meat is wasted.

Irish Roast Goose with Potato Stuffing

8-10 servings

1. Cut breasts from 2 large ducks.

2. Broil under flame until brown or about
10 minutes.

3. Baste frequently with the following
barbecue sauce: lemon juice, Worcester-
shire sauce, catsup, and butter.

4. When meat begins to brown, sprinkle
with salt and paprika, continue to broil
for 20 minutes or until done.

Broiled Partridge

1 partridge pepper and salt

2 tablespoons butter

flour toast

Vz cup cold water bacon

1. Open partridge on back. If partridge
is not tender, place in a small baking
pan with y2 inch hot water and cover.
Put in hot oven for 15 minutes.

2. Roll in flour, lay on broiling irons
breast down.

3. Make gravy of 2 tablespoons flour in
cold water, with pepper, salt, and but-

ter.

1 goose

1 teaspoon salt
a/4 teasooon pep-
per stuffing
10 medium po-
tatoes, riced
1 tablespoon fat
1 cup chopped
onions
Vz cup chopped
celery

4 slices bread,

crumbed

^4 pound ground

salt pork

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon poul-
try season-
ing

1 teaspoon salt
$4 teaspoon pep-
per

cottontail rabbits, and dogs should to follow, it would be helpful if

4. Stir in the liquid in which the^ birds
were parboiled.

5. Serve with toast and bacon, and with
gravy, if preferred. Or slash birds in
breast 3 times when done. Put a little
butter, salt, and pepper in each slash,
place on toast, then pour liquid from
pan over them.

Some care should be taken in
handling cottontail rabbits owing
to the possibility of tularemia.
While extremely few cases of this
disease have occurred in Loui-
siana, nevertheless care should be
exercised. Hunters should avoid
"sick-looking or acting" rabbits.
Those that get up slowly in front
of the hunter or dog should be
viewed with suspicion. Most hu-
man cases of tularemia have been
contracted through cuts or other
injuries on the hands. Therefore,
it is wise to use rubber gloves
when cleaning rabbits. Cooking
rabbit until well done should kill
the germs and make the meat
edible.

The cottontail hunter occasion-
ally observes warty or horny
growths on the skin of rabbits he
has bagged. These are most com-
mon on the legs and head al-

1. Clean and dry goose. Rub cavity and
outside with salt and pepper mixture.

2. Stuffing : Reserve potato water for
basting the goose. Rice potatoes. Put
fat in a skillet and partially cook onions
and celery, but do not brown. Add to
potatoes bread, salt pork, eggs, poultry
seasoning, salt, and pepper.

3. Stuff goose with potato stuffing and
sew up.

4. Roast goose in moderate oven (375° F.)
about 3 hours, basting from time to
time with potato water.

Squirrel meat truly makes a
tasty meal. The flesh is medium
red in color, tender, and has a
pleasing flavor. The slight gamey
taste present in most meats is al-
most absent in that of the squir-
rel. No soaking is necessary and
only the oldest and toughest ani-
mals will require parboiling for
tenderness.

Fricasseed Squirrel

4 servings
Cooking time 3 x/z hours

1 tablespoon

sliced on

1 Vz teaspoon

mon juice
y3 cup broth

le-

1 squirrel
V2 teaspoon sal
\'s teaspoon
pepper
Vi cup flour

3 slices bacon

1. Disjoint and cut squirrel into 6 or 7
pieces.

2. Rub pieces with salt and pepper. Roll
in flour.

3. Pan fry with chopped bacon for 30
minutes.

4. Add onion, lemon juice, broth and
cover tightly. Cook slowly for 3 hours.

5. Variation: Add 1 tablespoon paprika,
\'i$ teaspoon cayenne, 1 sliced sour apple,
and 2 cups broth instead of bacon,
lemon juice called for in above recipe.

In Canada, hunting on Sundays
is prohibited. They believe the
Creator intended all His creation
to have one day of peace and rest
out of every seven.

LOUISIANA CONSERVATIONIST

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

« * • *** ***

A VISITOR GIVES HER VIEWS
ON LOUISIANA'S BAYOU PEOPLE

By Ruth Landes

South Louisiana is like no other
part of the United States. The
temperatures are strange, the to-
pography is unusual, the people
are exotic. I, a traveler from a
northern land of cities and regi-
mentation, have come to expect
here little that is predictable. I
make mental note of this and
nevertheless I am continuously
surprised.

In my land, for example, the
calendar moves steadily from
warm to cold in a time-tested
crescendo and people can plan
their weather needs accordingly.
A person's schedule of activities
is also reliable; I mean, he knows
what he is going to do next hour
or next week or month, and so do
his friends and associates. He
plans the structure of his life, and
he is somewhat responsible if it
turns out well or ill. He grows
to have a sense of achievement,
and a sense of control over his
destiny.

But here the calendar does not
give you an accurate knowledge of
temperature or climate. You can
be cold in June and hot in Janu-
ary. That is interesting in the
north temperate zone, but it
throws an outsider off his guard.
People blow hot and cold too.
They say one thing and do an-
other. Frequently they them-
selves do not know what they are
going to do. It is not a matter
of unreliability or deceit or ignor-
ance. It is a kind of glorification
of the spirit of chance. The pur-
pose is to avoid the rules, or to
see if you can And new rules —
within reason, of course. As some-
one observed to me, the point is
never to allow two consecutive
days to be the same.

Fortunately, natural resources
of Louisiana allow the citizens
protected by the Pelican to take
full advantage of their unusual
disposition. Trawling shrimp for
example, to take to market, surely
a cooling sport in the heat of
August and September, offering
the chance of earning from eight
to eighty dollars an hour, and
some of the best eating this side
of Paradise. I watched the fisher-
man set out his trawl, and then
leave to lie in the shade of his
awning. He can sleep; or he can
swap tall stories with his partners
and relatives. They tell me these
people are Frenchmen, Creoles
and Cajuns; but the schools that
shaped my young mind had led
me to believe that that kind of

story originated with Irishmen, or
with their fellows in daring, the
wild Indians and Texans of the
American prairies. I am told that
Indian blood flows in the veins of
some of these fishermen. It is
indeed a surprising variety of fa-
cial patterns that comes to light
over the continuing expanse of
the bayous.

A type of French face is seen
repeatedly, with fine, even beauti-
ful, aquiline nose and lips, swarthy
skin and narrow, deep-set eyes.
Sometimes the eyes are bril-
liant blue. These faces prefer to
speak French. There is another
type of face that is round and
plump and blonde, and though it
looks Germanic, it too speaks
French. In other types you wit-
ness the merging of the known
continents. They are all dark,

AN INTRODUCTION
TO THE AUTHOR

Dr. Ruth Landes, author
and writer, has been in Loui-
siana since last July, making
private studies of labor prob-
lems and industry. Her ac-
companying article written
for the Conservationist, gives
the impressions of a north-
erner on Louisiana's bayou
people.

Dr. Landes holds a Ph.D. in
anthropology from Columbia
University, New York. Until
1940 she did special research
work for Columbia University
and the Rockefeller Founda-
tion, and has also taught an-
thropology at intervals in
New York and Nashville,
Tenn.

More recently she has been
on the staff of the President's
Committee on Fair Employ-
ment Practice as a Field Rep-
resentative.

and usually small, and generally
speak French, but one type has
the eyes of Africa looking out of
the face of Europe, and another
sees with the eyes of China. They
are unlike the people I've known
all my life: in appearance, in
blood, in temperament, in tradi-
tion, in language. They are ruder
and younger in spirit than those
Americans who have not come to
claim the Gulf. They are inno-
cent of learning, and apparently
of ambition as we know it; their
pride lies in the bayous, not in
the Union of the States; they
think in French, not in English,

DR. RUTH LANDES

though they translate into correct
enough equations. Over and over
again, I have to remind myself
that they are my fellows under the
flag; yet the better I know them,
the stranger they seem.

Consider the way they fish.
During the season, they hours are
unending, yet they retain their
good temper. The pay is excel-
lent, though at the price of sacri-
ficing personal life. (Actually, do
they care for personal lives, as I
think of it?) As soon as a ten-day
or three-week amount is accu-
mulated, it is whooshed away in a
royal riot of spending. They can
be ugly when drunk (who is not?)
but their generosity and hospital-
ity are overflowing. Above all,
their graciousness is an exquisite
thing. Nor is it American. Possi-
bly the manorial landlords of the
old South cultivated it and it sim-
mered down to these small free-
holders; surely it can flower only
in a special environment. It re-
quires leisure.

By leisure, I do not suppose
money or idleness. Though these
bayou Frenchmen have money
enough at seasons, and often aver-
age annual earnings much above
the white-collar average for the
nation, actually they live poorly.
And during their seasons of work,
they are occupied intensively.
Leisure requires a certain state
of mind; and as I see it among my
French fellow-Americans, it is an
attitude that holds social relation-
ships first among life's demands.
The social relationships are those
of equals. No fisherman will
admit his social inferiority to any
other man, even in this caste-
ridden southern society, even in
the American world where money
and education define a man's
worth. These men, and their
women, who do not share in the
American dream of power-wealth-

rivalry-and-success, who live eni
tirely in an irridescent presena
have a blind, instinctual, arro-
gant confidence in their individual
dignity. Such must have been the
frontier spirit. Possibly they are
in fact more traditionally Ameri-
can than my other contemporaries]

Trawling shrimp, and particu-
larly dredging for oysters are ex-
tremely lonely occupations. Men
remain out on their boats for days,
weeks or months at a time. Tl
flatness of the terrain makes tha
horizon seem limitless, and even
a snapshot cannot always shorn
where sky ends and water begins*
Even experienced fishermen are]
not always sure of their positions!
confused by bends in the bayousi
variations in water depth, tha
scarcity of landmarks and the
merciless refraction of light from
water in the atmosphere, skies ana
bayous. (My film burnt even on
cloudy days when I failed to use
a heavy light filter.) The oyster!
camps seem dots on the horizon!
Yet the disposition of the men is
cheery, and even on their isolated
skiffs, they cultivate the tradition
of good cooking.

I think that fishing, and trap-:
ping for furs are the proper milieu
for these remarkable people oi
south Louisiana. It allows for as
much or as little enterprise as an
individual desires. I cannot imag^
ine them working on the assembly!
line or punching clocks, though
they are known to be good me-
chanics. In fact, they are conj
sidered unreliable for routine
work, the men more so than the
women. These men have taught
their women to wait, come hurt
ricane or calm, and to make the
best of their time through the
lonely silence or the passage of
months; and probably this stands
them in good stead in the factory
system.

I have seen Creoles and Aca-
dians in other occupations, like
cultivating and processing sugaii
and rice. But in these fields theii
individuality fades, and they be'
come similar to tenant farmers
and overseers in other parts of
the South. Similar to, but not
identical with. When time and
season permit, these men stilli
fish and trap and hunt, lovingi
these occupations for their own
sake and realizing well on them.
"There's something in the shrimj
industry," they say, or in the oys-
ter or in the fur industry, "yoi)i
don't know from one day to the
next what you are going to get,!
It's all a gamble."

The thrill of the unexpected is
what they want and need, and if
luck is poor, they bear up with it
well. It is their training in gra-
( Continued to Page 6, Column 4)

Louisiana conservationist

Activities of the Louisiana Geological Survey

(Editor's Note — This is an-
Ither in a series of articles
Written by Division heads out-
ining the activities of their Di-
visions.

: The accompanying article by
)r. Huner, State Geologist, tells
>f the work and functions of
he Louisiana Geological Sur-
rey, which is an important Divi-
lion of the Department of Con-
servation.

Articles of a similar nature
from other Divisions within the
Department will appear in fu-
ture issues.)

By Dr. J. Huner

Act 131 of 1934 authorized
ad directed the Commissioner of
ionservation to inaugurate and
Omplete a geological survey of
ne entire State of Louisiana.
,he organization which gradually
ivolved as a result of this Act is
tnown as the Louisiana Geological
Purvey.

Although the primary purpose
if the Louisiana Geological Sur-
py is to map the geological for-
mations and mineral deposits of
he State, its ultimate purpose
S that of aiding either directly
[t indirectly in the discovery
nd exploitation of the mineral
jesourees of the State and to
Jiereby increase the economic
jrealth of the State.

History

! No systematic attempts were
hade to describe the mineral re-
sources of Louisiana until 1840
vhen the first officially conducted
jurvey was inaugurated. From
;hat time until about 1908 various
Iffieial surveys were established
md conducted. Although these
turveys led a rather irregular ex-
istence, they established basic
geologic ideas and concepts upon
krhich present day Gulf Coastal
geology is based. From 1908 until
1934 no official recognition or
assistance was granted for con-
ducting geologic work in Louisi-
ana. However, beginning in 1922,
Dr. H. V. Howe, Head of the
School of Geology at Louisiana
State University, and members of
his staff began devoting consid-
erable time and effort towards un-
ravelling the geologic problems of
the State and giving encourage-
ment for developing its mineral
resources. Finally, the import-
ance of such work was recognized,
and in 1934 the Legislature passed
Act 131 which provided for the
support of the present Geological
Survey. From that time until
the present, the Survey has grown
substantially and has correspond-

ingly contributed a great deal of
information and assistance in de-
veloping the mineral resources of
the State.

Staff
Under normal conditions, a dis-
trict geologist is responsible for
each of the four districts into
which Louisiana has been arbi-
trarily dv/ided. These districts
are not all the same size; some
are larger than others, depending
upon the activity in them. Pres-
ently, however, in addition to the
of this State. The Louisiana Geo-
logical Survey will thus be in a
only two geologists. During the
past year, three very well trained
men were lost to various oil and

DR. J. HUNER

gas companies, and it has not been
possible to replace them. The pro-
gram of the Louisiana Geological
Survey has, therefore, been cur-
tailed considerably. It is hoped,
however, that when the present
war is over the Geological Survey
will once more be able to obtain
men who will do much towards
developing the mineral interests
of this State. The Louisiana Ge-
ological Survey will thus be in a
position to contribute its part to-
wards re-employing men returning
from the armed services and will
also contribute materially towards
bridging the gap from a war time
economy to a peace time economy
in aiding to exploit mineral re-
sources which will be in great de-
mand for peace-time construction.
Each district geologist must
compile maps, especially as re-
gards oil and gas development, for
his particular district; he must be
familiar with the problems of
these areas and continually mak-
ing some effort towards their solu-
tion. These district geologists sup-

ply the State Geologist with all
necessary data, reports, maps, or
illustrations for work carried out
in conjunction with the State
Mineral Board, the Division of
Minerals, the Attorney General's
Office, and various other organ-
izations and private interests who
must consider problems which
have arisen through the exploita-
tion of the State's mineral re-
sources.

All personnel for the Louisiana
Geological Survey are located in
the School of Geology Building on
the campus at Louisiana State
University. As a result of this
location, many advantages are
available which could otherwise
only be obtained at considerable
additional expense to the taxpay-
ers of the State.

Activities During the Past Year

The non-hydrocarbon mineral
resources, other than salt and sul-
phur, have been almost completely
overlooked because of the enor-
mous value of the oil and gas de-
posits in the State of Louisiana.

During the past year, however,
because of the need for increased
production of livestock and dairy
products, considerable interest has
been shown in developing an in-
expensive source of agricultural
lime dust which could be used for
increasing the productivity of pas-
tures. At the request of the Gov-
ernor of the State and the Com-
missioner of Conservation, the
Louisiana Geological Survey made
a study of various deposits of
limestone and marl which occur
in the northern part of Louisiana.
At the Rayburns salt dome in
Bienville Parish, an ideal site was
finally found and as a result of
reports, data and maps submitted
by the Louisiana Geological Sur-
vey, a company known as the
Louisiana Limestone Company has
been organized to develop this de-
posit and will shortly begin sup-
plying farmers of north Louisiana
with an agricultural dust at a cost
considerably less than the present
market price.1 In addition to di-
rectly assisting in the exploitation
of this deposit, the Louisiana Geo-
logical Survey has designed and
will shortly direct the erection of
a plant at Slidell, Louisiana, for
the purpose of crushing clam shell
for agricultural dust. This plant,
which will have a minimum ca-
pacity of 25,000 tons of dust per
year, will make available a prod-
uct that will cost approximately
one dollar less than the presently
prevailing price of limestone dust
in the Florida Parishes.

Although various members of
the Louisiana Geological Survey

have been responsible for the dis-
covery of the new oil and gas
fields and the exploitation of other
mineral resources of the State,
none of these discoveries will have
an ultimate effect comparable to
the recent work of the Louisiana
Geological Survey in making avail-
able to the farmers of the State
of Louisiana an inexpensive and
constant source of lime on which
a definite program of pasture and
land improvement can be based.
This program will not only de-
crease the cash outlay which nor-
mally is made by farmers for
fertilizer but will increase the
productivity of their lands to the
extent of millions of dollars an-
nually.

The Louisiana Geological Sur-
vey is presently contemplating an
extensive program of clay investi-
gation. That such a program will
be of considerable value to the
State is already indicated by the
interest shown by various State
agencies in the availability of
clays from which brick and other
structural materials can be made
for the erection of public institu-
tions. During the past year, a
limited number of tests have been
made in the vicinity of Baton
Rouge to determine whether or
not such clays could be used for
making ceramic products. The
particular localities tested did not
provide a good source of brick
clay, and it was recommended that
bricks which could be made at the
Angola Penitentiary with the
equipment already available there
could supply a much more satis-
factory type of building brick. "
Although the recent tests were
negative, such work is neverthe-
less exceedingly valuable in pre-
venting the use of inferior ma-
terials.

As technical advisers to the
State Mineral Board, the Louisi-
ana Geological Survey has pre-
sented maps and other factual
data which during the past year
have been instrumental in having
caused to be i-eturned to the State
well in excess of 700,000 acres of
State owned lands and water
bodies which were under lease to
various oil and gas companies.
This acreage which has been re-
turned can now be leased again
and will provide considerable ad-
ditional revenues to the State in
(Continued to Page 7, Column 1)

Conservationist, May
i; July 1943, vol. 1.

the

2 Approximately two years ago,
La. Geol. Survey conducted tests at
Angola, La., which showed the feasi-
bility of using clays in the vicinity for
the manufacture of high grade building
brick.

Six

LOUISIANA CONSERVATIONIST

DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE MAKES
RECOMMENDATIONS

(Continued from Page 1)

In general the Committee com-
mended the work of the Depart-
ment of Conservation on many
phases of the conservation pro-
gram, including the work that has
been done to increase production
of oysters by oyster shell plant-
ing.

It was suggested that a study
be made of methods and ways to
increase the sale of muskrat meat
for human consumption, and
pointed out that quick freezing
facilities will be necessary. The
report stated that the crab and
crabmeat industry in the state had
made good progress during the
past ten years, and suggested that
this industry too may be able to
increase its production through
more adequate quick freezing fa-
cilities.

The importance of proper con-
trol of water levels and necessity
of burning the marsh at the
proper time, were other items
stressed by the Committee in its
report. The work of the Conser-
vation Department in water hya-
cinth control was commended.

Members of the Fisheries and
Wildlife Committee of the Eco-
nomic Development Committee of
Louisiana are John A. Pharr, Jr.,
chairman, Marion T. Fannally,
Frank A. Goudchaux, Si'., and
Wallace Kemper.

LOUISIANA'S MUSKRAT
SEASON GETS
UNDER WAY

(Continued from Page 1)
are in the field this year buying
muskrat carcasses from trappers
and are to ship them to markets
in Chicago, New York and other
centers where there is a great de-
mand for them.

Likewise this year, many trap-
pers are saving the musk glands
from the muskrat and are selling
them to a manufacturer in New
York who uses them in the manu-
facture of perfumes.

Trapping on several state owned
game preserves are under way this
year, under the supervision of the
Department of Conservation and
muskrats from these preserves will
be sold at public auction at in-
tervals during the trapping sea-
son as has been done in previous
years. From the proceeds of these
sales, the trappers get 65 per cent
and the Department receives 35
per cent.

The sportsmen of Pennsylvania,
killed 196,000 woodchucks for
food in 1941.

PARISHES IN WHICH VIO-
LATIONS OCCURRED AND
ARRESTS MADE IN
NOVEMBER

Avoyelles 5

Bienville 3

Caddo 5

Cameron 2

E. Baton Rouge 1

E. Feliciana 4

Livingston 3

Madison 20

Morehouse 4

Natchitoches 3

Orleans 3

Richland 1

St. Charles 2

St. Tammany 15

Tangipahoa 1

Tensas . 2

Vernon 1

Washington 1

Winn 9

Total 85

TYPES OF VIOLATIONS

WHICH WERE REPORTED

DURING NOVEMBER

Angling Without License 1

Possessing Undersized Game

Fish 1

Commercial Fishing Without

License 3

Possessing Undersize Commer-
cial Fish 1

Hunting Without License 8

Hunting at Night 1

Hunting With Unplugged Gun 9
Hunting Migratory Waterfowl
Before Sunrise or After

Sunset 3

Exceeding Legal Limit of Mi-
gratory Waterfowl 10

Hunting on State Preserves.... 6
Hunting Deer Out of Season.. 16
Hunting and Killing Doe Deer 2
Hunting Quail Out of Season.. 4

Trapping Without License 6

Trapping Out of Season 4

Killing Fur Bearing Animals

With Gun 5

Hunting W i th o u t Federal

Stamp 3

Hunting Snipe 1

Hunting Grebe 1

Total 85

A state-wide minerals hearing
was held December 16th in New
Orleans to set the allowables for
the next two month period.

AGENTS PARTICIPATING IN
NOVEMBER ARRESTS

J. W. Bates, Angelo Benandi,
John Busalacchi, Sam Chaze, Ern-
est Coats, Fred Cook, Mark B.
Cooper, Less Davis, R. A. Davis,
Wilton Decuir, D. L. Farrar, John
W. Gilbert, Allen Hawsey, E. B.
Head, Clarence Hood, McVea
Hubbs, P. F. Huddleston, Volidia
Jones, B. P. LeBlanc, J. O. Ma-
yeux, Ben Mayeaux, W. J. Mc-
Cauley, James E. McFerrin, T. E.
Minton, Sam Nunez, H. A. Pipes,
P. S. Reardon, Gordy Simon, Law-
rence Sintes, Frank Trocchiano,
Earl Vaught, Whitney Vincent,
Elton Williams.

CHARITY ORGANI-
ZATION TO AUCTION
MUSKRATS

The Edward Wisner Donation
Advisory Committee, with offices
at the Charity Hospital in New
Orleans, who have trapping lands
in Lafourche, Jefferson, and St.
John Parishes, will hold a series
of auction sales in January, Feb-
ruary and March, at which time
they will sell the muskrats, minks
and coon pelts from these lands.

The auction sales will be held
on January 5th, February 5th,
and March 7th, and will take
place at Leeville, La.

HERE'S "CHAMPION"
FISH STORY

Water Champion says he was
fishing from a dock and acciden-
tally laid his cigaret across the
string holding the several fish he
had already caught. The string
burned in two and the fish dropped
into the water. "To say I was
sick is putting it mildly," he added.
"But about 30 minutes later I got
a terrific strike. One of the bass
on the string had struck again
and I had succeed in hooking him.
I recovered the string without the
loss of a single fish."

FORESTRY GOVERNING
BOARD HOLDS MEETING

The Forestry Governing Board
held a meeting in New Orleans on
Tuesday, December 7th. Discus-
sion of proposed legislation per-
taining to Forestry featured the
meeting.

OUTSIDE LOOKING 11)1

(Continued from Page 4) 1
ciousness, in the demeanor oj
poise, not in good sportsmanshij
that sustains them. They play
and work hard, for the kill, fol
the thrill, for the unexpected re
suit. In a sense, they are cav»
liers, gentlemen of the bayousi
Despite their tradition, they ac)
in a far cry from the careful gais>
dening husbandry that was thji
way of their Acadian forebear^
To my understanding, they bel
have rather in the spirit of thl
sons of Lafitte, in the spirit of tha
voyageurs and coureurs du bois ol
old Canada, somewhat bold, some]'
what piratical, somewhat ganvi
bling, not whittled into the dimerei
sions of the twentieth century. I

EFFORTS TO SAVE
SINGER PRESERVE
CONTINUES

(Continued from Page 1)

serve, and was prepared to makjt
an offer for acquisition of as
much as half of the acreage}'
backed with state and federal!
funds dedicated for that purpose:'
and also by the National Audubon
Society, but reported that thji
officials of the company were noi
receptive to the proposal.

John F. Baker, executive direc-i
tor of the National Audubon
Society, is continuing to press the
matter, Mr. McHugh said, wits
some hope of obtaining the pres-s
ervation of some part of thei
Singer Preserve.

TIPS TO HUNTERS

For the benefit of inexperiencedi
hunters, and for all others who gai
afield: Never carry a firearm son
that it points at a companion.!
Never carry a firearm cocked oni
with the safety off. Never carry!
a loaded gun in a car. Never shoot
at anything unless you are posi-
tive it is game and the species and
sex you are entitled to kill on youn
license. Don't shoot at moving:
brush or in the direction of'
sounds, even though legitimate-
game just disappeared in the same
direction. Don't shoot toward farm
houses, across roads, in the direc-
tion of domestic livestock or from
a public highway. It is illegal to
hunt on private land without first
securing permission from the own-
er. Don't try to shoot dirt or snow
out of the end of your rifle or
shotgun barrel, as this is ex-
tremely dangerous.

Good hunting is reported in
Louisiana, despite the shortage of
ammunition.

LOUISIANA CONSERVATIONIST

JTIVITIES OF
EOLOGICAL SURVEY

(Continued from Page 5)

! form of bonuses and rentals.

will also grant other companies
opportunity to use their ingen-

;y to explore these areas and

,y result in the finding of new
and gas pools which are so

dly needed for our war effort.

The Louisiana Geological Sur-
ly has also been instrumental in

inging to the attention of the
bate Mineral Board various State
tfrned water bodies which are con-
slered as productive acreage. To

'event the drainage of this acre-
Se, recommendations for imme-
»te advertisement and leasing
bre made. As a result, such

reage has not only brought in
tnsiderable revenue in cash
bnus but also in royalty. Re-
Intly, 20,000 acres of the Rocke-
(ller Game Preserve were leased
t'r oil and gas development for
Ightly in excess of $500,000.
lie Louisiana Geological Survey
fcvoted much time and effort for
ringing about the leasing of the
ockefeller Game Preserve.

In addition, the Louisiana Geo-
logical Survey has supplied the
tate Mineral Board with detailed
Lports concerning potentialities
■ acreage submitted for bid and
jasing. Such reports, both written
lid oral, have given the Mineral
joard considerable assistance in
ptaining adequate bids for vari-
•js State owned lands and water
pdies. The same data have also
Ben supplied for the School
joard, Municipal, and Bank in
liquidation leases. In no case has
> rejection recommended by the
Louisiana Geological Survey ever
fr-ought at subsequent leasing a
[rice less than had previously been
Ifered. As a matter of fact, in
iractically all cases additional
onsiderations were offered.
. The State Banking Commission
torn time to time has requested
tf the Louisiana Geological Sur-
'ey data giving some concept of
he mineral value of acreage over
yhich they have jurisdiction. The
fiurvey has supplied such data ad-
vising the State Banking Commis-
lion whether or not adequate con-
siderations were being offered for
(uch lands.

[ As required by Act 157 of 1940,
rarious public hearings are held
ly the Commissioner of Conserva-
tion to formulate rules and regu-
lations for the development of the
pil and gas resources of this state.
fhe Louisiana Geological Survey,
jhrough its State Geologist, at
fcuch hearings attempts to gain all
[he necessary geological data con-
cerned in solving such problems.

Further, however, it has also sup-
plied considerable additional in-
formation to aid the Commissioner
in arriving at rules and regulations
which are reasonable and fair not
only to the operators but to the
royalty owners as well.

The Commissioner of Conser-
vation has pointed out many times
at such public hearings, that it is
not only the duty of his office and
his technical staff to protect the
operators but also the royalty
owners who cannot themselves
supply the technical data often
necessary at a public hearing. In
line with this duty the Louisiana
Geological Survey determines the
extent of productive acreage and
other data which have often re-
sulted in action directly benefiting
the royalty owners.

During the past year, the Loui-
siana Geological Survey, through
cooperation with the Ground
Water Division of the United
States Geological Survey, has
aided the armed forces of this
country in securing adequate sup-
plies of fresh water for the vari-
ous cantonments located in the
State of Louisiana. Without such
water, or even with limited sup-
plies, it would be practically im-
possible to carry out the training
program which is in effect in Loui-
siana. Special problems have
arisen from time to time, such as
gas seeps around various buildings
of the armed services in south
Louisiana. The securing of data
and recommendations by the Loui-
siana Geological Survey have
brought about satisfactory solu-
tions for such problems.

Unfortunately, due to the lack
of geologists, it has not been pos-
sible to carry out any definite pro-
gram of field work during the past
year. Such a program cannot be
properly put into effect again until
after the war is over when an
adequate supply of geologists will
once more be available. Never-
theless, considerable research has
been carried on. A work now
nearing completion is that of the
structure of non-piercement type
salt domes in south Louisiana.
The results, which it is hoped will
be published within the next year,
should have a very material effect
on laying out definite programs
for development for such fields.
Considerable work has also been
done on the Sparta-Wilcox trend,
and when published should en-
courage considerable additional
development along this trend. The
research work on Webster Parish
has finally been completed and
should also soon be available for
public distribution.

On the whole, although the pro-
gram of the Louisiana Geological
Survey has been seriously cur-

tailed through lack of necessary
geologists, an enormous amount
of work has been accomplished.
The fact that most of this work
has contributed directly towards
increasing the war effort of the
State of Louisiana has brought
considerable satisfaction to mem-
bers of the Louisiana Geological
Survey.

Future Program

Although future plans of the
Survey call for continued effort
toward the finding and exploiting
of new oil and gas fields and re-
establishment of its program of
mapping the geological resources
of various parishes in the State,
considerably more emphasis will
be placed on the development and
utilization of resources such as
clays, peat, lignite, volcanic ash,
sand and gravel, etc. It is felt
that although there is already a
considerable demand for products
derived from such mineral re-
sources, in the future, especially
in the post-war period, there will
be an even greater demand.

Since all of these mineral re-
sources require cheap fuel for
their fabrication into finished ma-
terials, it would appear that Loui-
isana, with its huge supply of nat-
ural gas, is in a very advantageous
position to capitalize on the de-
velopment of these mineral re-
sources. It is foolhardy to import
from other states mineral products
which we can produce more cheap-
ly in Louisiana.

Clays. — Louisiana's Clay re-
sources have never been utilized
to their full advantage, chiefly be-
cause of the competitive effect of
the former abundant supply of
timber in this state. As compared
to many other states, it can be
said that for all practical pur-
poses Louisiana has no ceramic
industry. Although there are a
few small brick plants in the State,
most of our brick, tile, and pot-
tery is imported from such states
as Mississippi, Texas, and Ohio.
In Louisiana, we have not only the
necessary clay reserves but also
the cheap fuel which in the cer-
amic industry is equally as im-
portant as the raw clay material.
Most of the cost of clay products
utilized in this state is due to
freight charges. Thus, there is
no reason to believe that modern,
efficiently operated plants cannot
successfully operate in the State
of Louisiana in competition with
products brought in from outside
of the State.

It is contemplated that a co-
operative project will soon be es-
tablished between the Ceramic
Department at Sophie Newcomb
College in New Orleans and the
Louisiana Geological Survey. It
is believed that such a program

will result in data which will in-
duce capital to establish a ceramic
industry in this state. Deposits of
clay located near sources of cheap
fuel and at the same time near
markets such as Baton Rouge,
Lake Charles, Monroe, Shreveport,
etc., will be examined and tested
to determine their feasibility for
making brick and tile. Deposits
of clay near smaller towns will
be examined with the objective in
mind of utilizing such clays for
pottery. Such industries, if es-
tablished, will certainly provide
considerable employment and
should further provide to the
people of the State of Louisiana
ceramic products at a cost con-
siderably cheaper than they can
be now obtained.

In line with investigating clays,
native earth pigments will also be
investigated to determine whether
or not deposits of suitable quality
and quantity are available for
making stains and paints. Con-
siderable amounts of this material
can be developed and find a ready
market in the art departments of
our various colleges and high
schools, aside from industrial re-
quirements.

On the whole, the development
of a ceramic industry in this state
offers a great many opportunities
not only in providing less expen-
sive products than are now avail-
able but also in providing con-
siderable additional employment.
Any funds that the State may in-
vest in the investigation of our
ceramic resources will be returned
many times over.

Peat. — The need of organic
matter for soil improvement cre-
ates a problem that becomes in-
creasingly acute. By far the most
important constituent of a soil is
its organic matter, and depletion
of soil humus has become an im-
portant factor in impoverishing
cultivated soils and subjecting
them to erosion. To prevent fur-
ther avoidable deterioration in the
structure and desirable properties
of soils, the use of crop residues
and legumes is quite general. The
principal disadvantage, however,
lies in the relatively rapid decay
in the organic matter of green
crops, leaving the soil without any
marked improvement after the
lapse of a few years. There is,
therefore, a general demand for
a source of organic matter that
will provide a satisfactory and re-
latively persistent material that
would maintain improvements in
mineral soils that are seriously
impoverished in their present
conditions.

As a source of organic matter,
the better grades of peat play a
significant part in modifying the
(Continued to Page 8, Column 3)

Eight

LOUISIANA CONSERVATIONIST

Attorney Boggs
Resigns Post,
Enters Service

Hale Boggs, former Congress-
man from the Second Congres-
sional District, and for the past
year General Counsel for the State
Department of Conservation, has
been granted a military leave, to
accept an appointment in the
United States Naval Reserve, ac-
cording t o announcement b y
Joseph L. McHugh, Conservation
Commissioner. Mr. Boggs' resig-
nation became effective December
1st.

HALE BOGGS

In addition to his duties as At-
torney for the Conservation De-
partment during 1943, Mr. Boggs
has served as the representative
of the Governor for the City of
New Orleans in the First and Sec-
ond Congressional Districts. He
has also been active in the move-
ment to establish in New Orleans
an International House to promote
foreign trade, serving as Execu-
tive Secretary.

As General Counsel of the Con-
servation Department, Mr. Boggs
recently successfully defended be-
fore the United States Supreme
Court in Washington Act 157 of
1940, Louisiana's far-reaching oil
and gas acts. In making the
announcement, Commissioner Mc-
Hugh said Mr. Boggs had been
assigned to the War Shipping
Administration.

"I believe I express the senti-
ments of everyone connected with
the Conservation Department in
saying that we regret to lose the
services of our General Counsel
for an indeterminate period,"
Commissioner McHugh said. "It
has been Mr. Boggs' desire for
some time to serve in an active
military capacity, but at the re-
quest of the department he post-

BAG LIMIT

(Prom the Ruston Leader)

Hunters say there is an ample
supply of game of all kinds this
year to provide sport for those
who enjoy the woods and Ruston
men are taking time off to do their
share of hunting. This has come
to be a big business in Louisiana
since the conservation depart-
ment put it on a business basis
and insisted all men hunt alike
and not waste the game, nor
slaughter it for the thrill of kill-
ing. We hope this idea will grow
with the years and we will in fact
live in a state where every sport
is practiced with an eye to pre-
serving it for the future.

The day of the game hog should
have passed years ago, but un-
fortunately we still have some of
that species still in existence in
Louisiana. We hope they do not
show themselves this year and in
time they will not dare allow their
crimes to be known. There is no
lower type of man than one who
kills for the job of killing with-
out regard to the wild creatures
he is slaughtering, or for his fel-
low huntsmen. We have too many
examples of this breed in our past
history to allow him to flourish
anywhere now.

Hunting is the sport of kings
and the commonest man, they both
live in a measure to be able to
follow their heart's desire. We
see it in our great men today when
they swap fishing and hunting
stories. They know a few hours
taken from the day in this man-
ner is an investment in their well
being and adds years to their lives.
The thrill of the chase makes life
worth living to many men and we
know it will be perpetuated as
long as true men live in this land.

We must take care of the game
for the soldier boys that will want
to hunt when they get back, so
by all means observe the bag
limit and see that others do the

poned volunteering pending the
recent successful outcome of im-
portant litigation involving the
Department before the United
States Supreme Court. I know
that he will serve the Navy with
the same outstanding ability he
has shown in the many positions
of public trust which he has held
in the State of Louisiana," Mr.
McHugh stated.

ACTIVITIES OF
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

(Continued from Page 7)

physical, chemical, and biological
properties of mineral soils and in
making them more favorable for
the growth of plants. In Loui-
siana, peat occurs in enormous
quantities, especially in the south-
ern part of the State. At the pres-
ent time, because of lack of
definite information, there is little
concept as to how much peat is
available in Louisiana. That it is
large is without question. It is
planned to do considerable work
in devising ways and means for
cheaply exploiting deposits of peat
in this state.

Louisiana's soils in large part
are in definite need of organic
matter. They are also in definite
need of nitrogen. Already a small
amount of work has been done to
utilize the absorptive powers of
peat for absorbing ammonia which
is a source of nitrogen. If peat
can be processed so that it will
absorb from three to four per
cent nitrogen, it would make an
ideal fertilizer in that it would not
only supply nitrogen to the soil
but would also supply the neces-
sary organic matter for improving
the physical condition of the soil.
It is felt there is a market of 50,-
000 tons per year for such a prod-
uct in cane regions of Louisiana
alone.

Formerly, most of the peat util-
ized in the United States was im-
ported from Germany, The Neth-
erlands, and Sweden. As a result
of the present war, it is exceed-
ingly difficult now to purchase
peat. The last available figures
show that in 1940 alone the de-
mand for domestic peat increased
43 per cent over that in 1939. The
increase has probably been greater
in the past year. In peat we have
not only the raw material in this
state but, as previously pointed
out, we also have the market. It
requires only the ingenuity of the
scientist and the engineer to make
a usable product which will not
only increase the economic wealth
of the State but will also pro-
vide considerable post-war em-
ployment.

Shells. — As previously pointed
out, Louisiana has during the past
year made a definite bid to utilize
both its limestone and shell de-
posits. Although we are aware
of the fact that considerable de-
posits of shell occur along the
coastal waters of Louisiana, we
do not know the precise location
of such deposits, nor the quantity
which is available in any particu-
lar reef or bank. The time has
come when the shells along the

coastal waters of Louisiana shouli
be mined and developed and JB
come the foundation for a hugi
chemical industry rather than t|i
foundation for roads as has beei
the case in the past. With th<
requisite information, it may fo
possible to induce industries ji
this state to depend on shells 1
their source of lime rather th|
depending on other states. J
the present time, at least two lara
industries in this state are usiffi
rock lime because they had a
information concerning the aval
ability of the huge deposits 1
shells in this state. Such infj
mation must be obtained, com
piled, and made available to th>
public in order to encourage!
useful exploitation of our shell de
posits.

Other resources. — There ai'>
other mineral resources in m
State of Louisiana such as lignifl
which may be used for hydra
carbon derivatives, volcanic asi
for light weight aggregate, fullem
earth for refining, and marl fo
mineral wool which can and sho I
be utilized. Considerable researl
must be done on some of thffl
resources before they can be ex
ploited. The Louisiana Geologies
Survey plans to do all within it
power to aid in the exploitatia
of these resources. However, it
immediate future program is con
cerned primarily with the mineffl
resources discussed above, ani
should industries be establisha
which utilize our clays, peat, am
shells, a considerable contributiffl
will have been made toward in
creasing the economic wealth 9
the State of Louisiana.

George Wilson is
Named to High
Post in Capitol

George A. Wilson, former
torney for the Department
Conservation, has recently be3
appointed to the position of di
rector of the transportation diva
sion in the important petroleul
administration for war at Was!
ington, D. C. He succeeds J. a
Parten, who has resigned to re
turn to private business.

On leave from the Standard Oj
Company of Louisiana, where m
headed the production, pipe lid
and crude oil law department a
Shreveport, Mr. Wilson joined til
petroleum administration in ApB
1942, as Mr. Parten's assistant.

Born February 1, 1910, in thy
Louisiana oil country, at Mans
field, he attended public schooj
there, was graduated from Cell
tenary college, Shreveport, 1:
1929 and received his law degre
from Tulane University, New Oi
leans, in 1933.